Inslee 'Undaunted' After Dust-Up Over Bipartisan School Funding Plan

Washington Governor Jay Inslee says he is 'undaunted' by a partisan dust-up over school funding that could threaten months of bipartisan negotiations.

Austin Jenkins
/ Northwest News Network

Listen

Listening...

/

1:01

Washington Governor Jay Inslee said he’s “undaunted” after a partisan dust up over school funding. The Democrat Thursday sounded a hopeful note that lawmakers will find common ground.

The dust up came after Senate Republicans made changes to a bipartisan proposal that came out of a series of meetings last fall. Those changes included removing a promise to “eliminate school district dependency on local levies” next year.

Inslee said he remains firm that 2017 is the deadline for the legislature to act to fully fund schools.

“But I also understand that this is a heavy lift for legislators and the fact that through this amendment process there’s further discussion, I’m undaunted, I’m going to remain optimistic and I hope they’ll fulfill their duty,” the governor said.

Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee Chair Steve Litzow said addressing the over reliance on local school levies is “highly complicated,” but he expects an agreement to emerge.

The state is under Supreme Court sanction for failing to come up with a plan to achieve full funding.